Beauty in Pink
by Hemsee
Summary: "What do you want Humphrey?" Blair says warily. "I just wanted to tell you that," her eyes connect with his in the mirror. "You look beautiful, Blair." Based on 'Petty in Pink' stills.


**Summary:** "What do you want Humphrey?" Blair says warily. "I just wanted to tell you that," her eyes connect with his in the mirror. "You look beautiful, Blair." Based on 'Petty in Pink' stills.

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><p><strong>~ Beauty in Pink ~<strong>

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><p>Blair feels like she's suffocating.<p>

The Pink Party is perfect of course – everything from the decorations to the food is exquisite, but she is tired of forcing a smile for people she either barely knows, or barely stands, and watches with longing her friends mingle in with the crowd, away from the insufferable line of people she has to greet.

Besides, the distasteful picks and combinations of pinks some of the women had picked out make Blair's nose curl in disgust. Pink is a prime example of a color that can either make or break an outfit; absolutely _everything _should be taken into account – be it skin tone, fabric, hair color, and even _nail polish_ – when it comes to pink, and obviously, most of the Upper East Side women have failed miserably in that department.

Blair quells the urge to roll her eyes, and as she nods and smiles politely to yet another stranger, she decides that she's had enough. "Louis?" She says, and taps his arm softly.

The prince shifts his gaze towards her, his blue eyes so warm and loving that her heart clenches in response. "Something the matter, Blair?" he asks in his adorably small French accent.

Blair smiles up at him. "I'm sorry I have to excuse myself for a moment. I need some fresh air."

His hand comes to squeeze her waist comfortingly. "Of course," he replies. "I understand."

_He would_, Blair can't help but think as she maneuvers herself expertly through the throng of people. She bites her tongue at the thought; Louis is a _good man_. He'll treat her the way she deserves to be treated, and he'll be there for her in her time of need. So what if he is a bit too…soft with her? It's hardly something to complain about, especially after everything Chuck had made her go through. Maybe she needs a man a bit more malleable.

The argument is hollow, even to her, but Blair ignores it, focusing solely on getting as far away from all of these people as she can. She feels caged and trapped and incredibly agitated and Blair worries that she'll snap right then and there if she doesn't get out as fast as possible.

Blair spots the small, isolated room not too far away and almost makes a run for it. She checks herself just in time, _thank God_, and manages to reduce her pace to a respectable walk.

She really can't get there fast enough.

As soon as she comes into the small, cozy salon, she breathes a sigh of relief, and feels the tension in her shoulders recede immediately. Blair slowly makes her way to the mirror across the room, and pauses, closing her eyes briefly as she tries to soak in all the utterly crazy, improbably things that had happened to her in the span of one week. Prince Louis's arrival to Manhattan with her shoe brings a small smile to her lips – one that stretches wider when she thinks of the fact that the _Prince _of France came all the way to New York for _her_, and only _her_.

It is the stuff the fairytales she used to dream of as a child are made of and, right now, she's _living _her fairytale. She'll get her happily-ever-after – _she'll _get it. Not Serena, not any other It-Girl, _her_; Blair Waldorf.

And she'll see it through because, God knows, she's entitled to a little happiness in her life, and _this _– being a real-life _Princess _– is what she wants. It's the combination of all of her wildest dreams. She should be thrilled – she _will _be thrilled.

Her resolve newly hardened, Blair looks up at the mirror, ready to greet her reflection with her usual bright and confident smile, when all the muscles in her body freeze.

_Dan Humphrey _is staring back at her, standing rigidly a little ways from the door.

Blair feels the air lodge in her throat as she looks at him, and something inside of her vaguely notes that Humphrey certainly knows how to look good in a suit.

She quells that thought ruthlessly as she fights to regain her composure. "Humphrey," she hisses through her teeth. "What are you doing here?"

Dan shifts uncomfortably, a series of conflicting emotions flitting through his face. He clears his throat awkwardly, and Blair's surprised to find the gesture _endearing_. "I was just uh, coming to see you if you were okay," Dan begins. "I thought you were going to choke to death for a while there." He smiles slightly at that, and Blair can't help but smile back, feeling her heartstrings tug just _a little bit _at that.

He'd _noticed_ that she had been out of it. Most importantly, he had noticed, and he'd followed her to see if she was _okay_. Neither Chuck nor – Blair thinks uneasily – Louis had seemingly noticed that she was off; and if they had, they'd chosen not to comment on it. But Dan had, because he cares.

Blair inclines her head, but her smile is warm and her eyes are soft. "I'm better," she replies truthfully. "Thank you."

Dan shifts again, leaning slightly on the wall. He smiles briefly up at her, but his eyes are still downcast, and he's playing with his fingers.

Blair's eyes narrow. She knows Dan well enough now to be able to distinguish when he's simply uncomfortable and when he carries some kind of ulterior motive. He's not a schemer or a master manipulator like her or Chuck (the fact that he's an incredibly good liar despite that still amazes Blair) and so his body language still betrays him.

She squares her shoulders, preparing for battle. A snide part of her murmurs that, of course, Humphrey couldn't have possibly come to check it she was okay only. That only happened to the Serena's of the world.

"You're terrible at this," she murmurs.

Dan looks up in surprise. "What?" he asks, bewildered.

"Oh, cut the crap. What do you want Humphrey?" Blair says warily.

Dan abruptly straightens up, his mouth set into a thin line. "I just wanted to tell you that," her eyes connect with his in the mirror. "You look beautiful, Blair."

Air leaves her lungs and she gasps, turning around to face him. "You can't be serious," she breathes out, eyes wide.

Dan slowly walks up to her, his gaze still locked with hers. "But I am," he replies, touching her shoulder absentmindedly. The all-too familiar gesture sends shivers up and down Blair's spine. "You're absolutely breathtaking, Blair," Dan says, looking at her in a way that makes her heartbeat speed up at ridiculous rates. "And I wanted you to know that."

Blair closes her eyes when his hand comes up to stroke her cheek. "Dan," she sighs. "We can't do this."

Neither of them speaks for a moment, and Blair would have been sure Dan had left had it not been for the continuous press of his hand on her cheek.

Finally, after what feels like a lifetime, Dan exhales softly and says, "Blair, Blair look at me." He brings up his other so that he is cradling her face.

Blair slowly opens her eyes and bites back a gasp at the intensity burning in Dan's eyes. "I told you before," he says gently. "Your prince may not be me or Chuck, but he's out there, just waiting to come and give you that fairytale ending you can't stop babbling about." He lets out a low laugh. "Hell, maybe your prince is Louis and you are living out your fairytale. At any rate, I want you to know that I just want you to be happy, and if you're happy with him," Dan's throat tightens subtly. "Then I'll step aside. Out of all the people here, you're the one that deserves to be happy the most."

His voice, his eyes, his expression…everything about his is so incredibly _sincere _that Blair can only look up at him speechlessly. She feels her heart clench and wonders how a person like Dan can still catch her completely off-guard. He is genuine, and Blair has no trouble believing that he _will _step aside if it means that she'll be happy.

She looks at him, thousands of confusing and wonderful emotions running through at once as she traces the contours of Dan's handsome face. "Kiss me," she says suddenly.

Dan's eyes widen, his expression such an adorable mixture of shock and disbelief that, had it been any other situation but this, Blair would have laughed. "What?" he asks.

"Just kiss me," she replies, a hint of pleading in her voice. "Just kiss me again, Humphrey – just once." Her arms are already sliding up his neck and her fingers curling at his nape. Dan stares at her lidded eyes, something raw and powerful expanding within his chest. His throat runs dry when he hears her sigh, and his resolve positively shatters when he hears her murmur, "Please, Dan," his name on her lips music to his ears.

Dan groans as he grabs her waist and brings her flush against him, before covering her mouth with his.

Blair feels a bolt of electricity run through her when their lips connect. This, she thinks dazedly, _this _is how a kiss is supposed to feel – like fireworks and bright explosions and exhilarating adventures. She tangles her fingers in Dan's hair and relishes in the feeling he gives her.

She smiles into his mouth when he pulls her even closer, her smile widening when she hears him say, "Absolutely beautiful," against her lips.

Yes, this is definitely how a perfect kiss is supposed to be.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>So I highly doubt that this is going to be how the episode will turn out, but at the very least, I hope the girl Dan's kissing is Blair, and not some horrible joke the writers are trying to play on us (like *cough* this week's episode).

But I digress. I hope you all liked this one-shot – this is my first time writing _Gossip Girl_, so I'm still trying to feel my way through the characters. I hope Dan and Blair were accurately depicted at least :D

So please drop in a comment about what you think – I'd love to hear from you.

Much love!


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